Wolverhampton's Aaron Rai has game for US Open

The European Challenge Tour player qualified for the showpiece event at Erin Hills in Wisconsin by winning a qualifier at Walton Heath golf club in Surrey last month. And the Patshull Park member impressed those who saw him that day.

Among them was golf watcher and commentator Dan Geraghty, who followed the former Wolverhampton Grammar School pupil around the tough Surrey course that day.

And Geraghty, who writes on golf for online bookmaker Betfair.com, believes Rai’s game could help him spring a few surprises over some of the superstars of world golf who will be competing at what is renowned as the game’s toughest tournament.

“I followed Aaron Rai round for all 36 holes... I was blown away,” he said.

“Rai performed solidly all day – barely missing a shot, and took medallist honours at 14 under.

“The performance was remarkable for a number of reasons, I overheard that Rai had turned up that morning (flying in from playing in the Czech Republic the day before) having never seen the course.

“He caddied for himself, collecting his own divots, doing his own work on yardages and greens.

“The impressive Englishman was one of the straightest hitters I’ve ever seen, which will obviously serve him well at a US Open.”

The bookies have Rai as a 200/1 outsider to win the tournament but is just 13/8 to make the cut after the first two rounds.

And ahead of the tournament, the 22-year-old admitted he will be nervous but plans to embrace the challenge of playing against the world’s best.

“It’s something that you would have to embrace,” said Rai, who was due to tee off as part of the third group out at just after 2pm British time. You would have to try to enjoy it. You look up to these guys and I’ve followed them for years so it would be something really special.”